We just returned from a quiet week on Topsail Island. We rented a cute 3 bedroom oceanfront. When driving onto the island, I was skeptical. From the street the island looks overcrowded, with every inch developed with rentals and not much landscaping. But once you get beachside, the beach is beautiful, clean and not crowded. Aside from the occasional walkers, the space in front of our house was entirely ours. Their is not a lot of entertainment on Topsail, which is ok by us. Expect a few t-shirt shops, 1 putt-putt golf course and about a dozen restaurants. You will have no problem getting food and supplies and getting on and off the island is very easy. We drove into Wilmington twice, which is less than 30 minutes away, to visit the USS North Carolina and take a Haunted Ghost walk. Those events were not overcrowded, reasonably priced and interesting. I would recommend Topsail if you are looking for a quiet, clean, friendly place to relax and unwind. If you are looking for boardwalks, amusement parks, photo booths etc, this is not the place.

My husband, son, and I come to Topsail every August for a week--we've been coming for seven years, and I love it here. The Outer Banks is too busy, Atlantic Beach is just dirty, and I don't like Myrtle Beach at all. And, Virginia Beach is too busy as well. Topsail is quiet--there are some nice restaurants, and I love to go to the little IGA in Surf City. There is some nice shopping there--not like at other beach places, there is good stuff here. We always talk about buying a condo or house here, but haven't yet. I recommend this little gem for anyone who just wants to get away from it all. THis is a true vacation spot. Just sit there, watch the tide roll in, and then watch it roll away again.

My family and I just returned from a week spent at Topsail Island, NC. We rented an oceanfront, one bedroom condo through vrbo(--)., Vacation Rentals By Owner. The condo had bunkbeds in the hallway alcove. It was just the right size for our family of four but might be a bit cramped if your children are older and want some privacy.

Topsail is very quiet and relaxed compared to Myrtle Beach or even the Outer Banks. We didn't want to fight the crowds for beach space or be in bumper to bumper traffic, so we were very happy at Topsail. The beach was beautiful--great shelling, too!

Camp Lejuene is nearby, so several times a day, military aircraft, flew overhead. It was not obtrusive to us; we enjoyed seeing the various types of machinery. My husband especially liked seeing the Ospreys! (The planes, not the birds...)

In Topsail, we had two meals at Clamdiggers. It is not fancy and the seafood was quite good. At Sneads Ferry, we had fun at Dr. Rootbeer's Hall of Foam, a great place with lots of atmosphere. It's fine for sandwiches, shakes, and, of course, root beer. At Surf City, we enjoyed a meal at Island Delights, I hope I got the name right, which is styled after a 50's diner--great food. Also at Surf City, we loved Long Island Pizza.

The sea turtle rescue hospital is a must-see in my opinion, for all ages, and it is on the south end of the island. It is only open from 2-4:00, and it is closed on Sundays and Wednesdays. You will never get closer to a loggerhead or green turtle than at this place! Fascinating and fun. It is free but donations are welcome.

My husband surf fished and spent several days at the pier, while our little girls loved Shark Attack, a huge t-shirt/gift shop, which does indeed have live sharks in a tank.

If you want a relaxing beach vacation with no crowds, then I can highly recommend Topsail Island.

We love Topsail. Last summer was out first visit and we stayed at 3305 Topsail Dunes. The condo was great. Our family of six had a very nice time and there was plenty of room.

The condo was direct ocean front, and had a pool. It slept 8, including the pull-out sofa and was so well stocked. They even supplied the beach chairs!

We have already booked for this summer!